1. Field of Invention
The present invention generally involves the field of technology pertaining to a spring loaded mechanical garden tool for easily planting vegetables and bulbs into the soil. The same mechanical device may be used for either planting vegetables or as a bulb planter. Since bulbs may be planted at various depths, the device may be adjusted to the proper depth by means of depth dents on a housing or tubing as will be more fully described below.
While the structure and mechanical details are the same whether the device is being used as a bulb planter or as a vegetable planter, there is a difference in its operation. Further, only one depth dent is required when the device is being used as a vegetable planter, rather than the several dents used when the device is being used as a bulb planter.
When the device is being used as a bulb planter, a handle is pulled up vertically to a depth dent indicated on a housing or cylinder which may be of any depth, but normally, 3 inches, 4 inches, 5 inches, or 6 inches, and such movement of the handle to the appropriate depth dent simultaneously compresses a spring as will be more fully described below.
The user of this garden tool then places his or her foot on a foot rest extending horizontally across the lower end of the tubing or housing, thereby forcing a cylinder or plunger down into the ground, and a soil plug will fill the cylinder or plunger to the appropriate depth.
The device forming the subject matter of this invention is then removed from the ground, a bulb is inserted into the hole and the device is again placed over the hole, the spring is released, and the plug of soil is caused to be pushed from the cylinder or plunger and over the bulb.
When the device is to be used as a vegetable planter, a plunger plate is in its most downward position. The user of the device again places his or her foot on the foot rest, pressing the device downwardly, and the plunger or cylinder will dig into the soil.
This forces the plunger plate and shaft upwardly, vertically, into a tube until the plunger plate engages a plunger cylinder plate as will be described. The cylinder plate is the top or closed end of the cylinder or plunger.
As the plunger plate and shaft move upwardly an allen screw head will also move vertically up a grooved column formed in the tubing or housing, thereby compressing the spring. The handle is turned in the appropriate direction, and the allen screw head will engage a dent formed in the tubing or housing, thereby holding the plug of soil in the plunger or cylinder.
The device forming the subject matter of the invention is then removed from the ground, the handle is turned in the opposite direction, and the spring will move downwardly, since the allen screw will be disengaged from the dent, thereby causing the plug of soil to be discharged.
A plant can now be placed into the hole and the device is ready to be used in digging another hole. The plug of soil in the plunger or cylinder may either be discharged into the hole and over the planted vegetable or it may be discharged to another place.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A search of the prior art has uncovered the following patents: Martinez, U.S. Pat. No. 4,585,072; Price, U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,588; Deane, U.S. Pat. No. 1,692,436; Rose, U.S. Pat. No. 2,531,297; Hus, U.S. Pat. No. 6,349,776; Ballmann, U.S. Pat. No. 3,444,938; Glynn, U.S. Pat. No. 3,210,112; Ober, U.S. Pat. No. 1,783,026; List, U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,339; Hoffinan, U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,638; and Gottfried, U.S. Pat. No. 3,273,930.
No single reference cited above and found during our search discloses all of the features of applicant""s invention, although some of these prior art references do disclose some, but not all, of the elements of this invention.
It is believed that the closest of these prior art references to applicant""s invention is the patent to Hoffman, 4,884,638, which does disclose a threaded locking knob along a vertical slot to adjust the device to a particular depth. One of the several primary and distinctive feature of applicant""s device is the employment of an alien screw head, fitting into a horizontal slot or dent formed at the upper end of the vertical slot and the further use of a plurality of slots or dents to provide varying depths when required.
The Martinez patent 4,585,072, is a device for removing weeds and planting plugs of grass, wherein a handle is operated to push a plunger through a hollow chamber to dislodge a plug of soil and any weeds carried therewith.
It is not seen that any of the above cited references either taken singularly or in combination discloses the concept of applicant""s invention as will be claimed below. Further, the brass spacer may be omitted and the circular knob handle may be attached to a shaft which extends coaxially with the hollow cylinder or tubing, and inside said housing or cylinder, by means other than a brass spacer and alien screw.
According to the present invention, there is provided a semi-automatic garden planter which may conveniently be used both as a vegetable and bulb planter. That is, one device can perform both functions.
In general, and as will be much more fully described below in detail, the invention comprises an open ended cylinder or plunger, preferably having serrated or jagged teeth at one end, and a solid plunger or cylinder plate at its other end which forms the closed end of the cylinder or plunger. A foot rest or depression member extends horizontally across the top of and is operatively associated with the plunger or cylinder plate. Plugs of plastic or any other suitable material may be inserted into either end or both ends of the foot rest.
A length of hollow tubing extends vertically upwardly from the plunger cylinder plate through the foot rest or depression member, and at its other or distal end, extends through a handle or gripping member, which is used by the operator to hold the device during use.
As will be more fully discussed and disclosed below in association with the drawings, further operatively associated with this distal end, is a combination of a generally circular knob handle having a compression collar, brass spacer, compression rubber ring, and a plurality of allen screws, as will be more fully described below. Further, such circular knob handle may be attached to a shaft by any other convenient means thereby eliminating the need for the brass spacer, compression rubber ring, and pluraty of allen screws.
Disposed within the vertically extending hollow tubing or cylinder and extending coaxial therein is a shaft having disposed thereabout a compression spring and spring collar. One end of this shaft, distant from the handle or gripping member and circular knob handle, is attached to the plunger cylinder plate by means of a trust allen screw.
The outer tubing or cylinder has a vertically extending groove formed therein which cooperates with an allen screw which moves up and down in the groove, responsive to the compression, and extension of the spring and wherein the allen screw then engages a depth dent thereby holding the plunger at the desired depth. The spring itself is responsive to the user pulling upwardly using the knob handle. When the user lets go of the knob handle, the spring is compressed between a spring tension collar and the allen screw, as will be more fully described below.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a combined bulb and vegetable planter.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a combined bulb and vegetable planter wherein bulbs may be planted at varying depths.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide such a combined vegetable and bulb planter which is essentially operated by a spring disposed about a shaft.
It is still a further object of the invention, to provide such a combined vegetable and bulb planter wherein a shaft and spring are disposed within a vertically extending tubing or cylinder.
It is still a further object of the invention, to provide such a combined vegetable and bulb planter wherein a groove or slot is formed vertically in said tubing or cylinder and wherein an allen screw cooperates with the spring and moves vertically up and down in said vertical groove or slot responsive to the movement of a spring.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide such a combined vegetable and blub planter wherein one end of the spring carrying shaft is attached to and moves with a plunger plate inside a plunger or cylinder extending downwardly from a foot rest or depression member.